Some images from Minjerribah - Stradbroke Island

This is a photo post with a few sparse words here and there.

A few weeks ago Sibs went away camping to Stradbroke Island known locally as Straddie, or to give it its aboriginal name - Minjerribah.  It's an island just off the coast of Brisbane and it takes 25 minutes to get to via the passenger ferry or 45 minutes via the vehicle ferry. 

I don't really do camping.... so I stayed at home.

I knew that I would miss out on the beautiful views and tranquility of the sun, sea and sand, but sand in tents and I just don't get on! So with the instructions of "have fun, take care and lots of photos" I waved her off. 

She got to spend time with her cousin, her uncles and her dad and she swam, sand surfed, fished, cooked around the camp fire, walked, talked and took a hundred and one photos!

Sibs planned to write a blog about Straddie so I asked her to choose some photos and I uploaded them and left them in a draft post.  However, life got in the way and things like homework and socialising kept eating into her time so the photos have just been sitting here. 

I wanted to write a blog post myself this week but the words just didn't come to me. That sometimes happens. There's lots going on in my head at 1am and by the next day....nothing!

So I'm just going to take advantage of these images. It seems a shame not to share them.

This is Winter in my little corner of the world. Not bad is it?

School holiday crochet, concerts and the beach.

We are at the end of a two week school holiday here and it's just starting to feel quite Summery. The days are perfectly warm and the evenings still necessitate a cardigan....and I do love my cardigans.

These holidays we spent some time at home and some away at the beach. It's been Relaxation with a capital R. 

In anticipation of the holiday time and some crochet hours, I was lured to fill a basket with some gorgeous Merino wool in a rainbow of colours - on sale of course! I can't describe how luxurious the wool feels. I've predominantly used acrylic in my crochet to date - it's cheap and I have to admit to not having too much faith in my ability to splash out on anything more. 

I wanted to try and test myself with a project so found a pattern for a stripe blanket with a variety of stitches. Hmm, case of running before I could walk I think.  

After a while it became apparent that my stitches were increasing and then decreasing at an alarming rate. There was nothing else but to undo and start again. Oh the agony!

version 1

So armed with some prior knowledge and tips about tension I have been methodically counting to 169 at the end of every line - sometimes twice just to be sure. I think I've got it now.

version 2

In other crochet news I decided that I needed to know how to do a ripple stitch so I began to crochet away during ballet lessons and it morphed into a cushion cover!

There have been a number of pretty exciting concerts this month. The first was to see Queen with Adam Lambert. I think if anyone is going to get close to filling Freddie Mercury's shoes then Adam Lambert would have to be the man. 

It took the crowd a little while to warm to him, but he soon got everyone on side not only with his talent but his genuine appreciation of his fortune at being on stage with such great musicians. 

Then there was Andrea Bocelli. An evening of glitz and glamour and a secret competition that no-one told me about - who could wear the highest heels! - I lost.

He was joined by the lovely Delta Goodrem who charmed the audience with her solo and duet performances. The only disappointment of the evening for me is that Mr Bocelli never uttered a word. I think there was a murmur of a 'thank you' at one point, but I wanted to know the man a little more. (Blurry photos sneaked on my phone)

To round off, the charming and cheeky Robbie Williams bounced into Brisbane and boy did he entertain. 

I was so close I could read his tattoos!

These photos were taken with my phone and I was a bit caught up in the atmosphere to concentrate too much on the perfect shot. Just trust me that it was spectacular.

So after all that excitement it was time to stop and re-charge. That happened at the Sunshine Coast. 

Our first evening there, Sibs and I decided to head to the beach. We walked for miles chatting and singing away. There is something special about an empty beach, the sound of the sea and the squeak of the sand. 

During the week away we spent some time in Noosa catching up with family and we visited Eumundi early in the morning to go to the markets. Yes, I got up and I was there as it opened!

One of the days we bumped into some school friends who were staying close by and I happily watched from the comfort of my shady spot on the grass with a coffee and a great book. I enjoy the beach when it's quiet and when the sun is down. After years in Australia it's still not my favourite place to be when it's crowded.

All too soon it was home for the long weekend and the countdown to the preparation for back to school and work. We had eleven for dinner on Saturday night and it was the first time we have eaten outdoors since the Winter. Another sign that it's warming up.

There was one little lonely chocolate pot strategically hidden placed at the back of the fridge after the dinner party...

Shame for it to go to waste!

So that was a bit of a September round up and some of what we have been up to during the school holidays. 

It's now time to get a G&T and sit outside on this public holiday Monday to enjoy the scent of the last of the Jasmine flowers.

(Following on from my last post, Sibs has now got her back brace and is being a little star managing it. Thank you all who have sent lovely supportive messages. I will update soon. )

Back to Monday

I'm one of those people that doesn't mind Mondays. Not that I don't enjoy the weekends (not at all) it's just that Monday is my day. My catch up day. Today was very much a catch up day after being away last week.

We had a fabulous time away at the beach this last week and the weekend was complete when Neil drove down to join us on Saturday.


hi Dad!



We ended our little holiday by 'gatecrashing' a beach wedding...

Having dinner next to the pool and a late evening swim...



Driving home on Sunday through the Gold Coast hinterland and stopping off in Mount Tamborine...

from the tranquil to the rather bizarre!



 So, as I said, back to Mondays and back to routines.

Brisbane was a hot 32 degrees today - perfect for drying off those beach towels.

Great to go away, but equally lovely to be home.

a day by the river

There is so much of this city that we have yet to explore.

fishing on the river at Nudgee

So last week to make the most of the Christmas and New Year holiday we took off with brother in law and sis in law, plus kayak strapped to the roof of the car, plus picnic and headed to Nudgee Beach where the river meets the sea. Even Neil took some well earned holiday!

Sibs was keen to try out her new Christmas fishing rod and life jacket so this was a great opportunity to get out and spend some time in the sunshine. It struck me that I very rarely, if ever sit in the sun. I lathered myself in factor 30+, donned a wide brimmed hat and sunnies and caught a few rays....just a few...enough to leave a very distinctive Birkenstock pattern on my feet! (oops, forgot to smother my toes in lotion).

Lesson one Sibs is to wait for the instructor!

"is this how I hold it?"



Sibs and her uncle had a great time kayaking across the water and they spent some time fishing from a sand bank. I had the binoculars on them at one stage and could just about see that Sibs was ballet dancing across the sand whilst uncle seemed to be doing all the fishing!

We watched the numerous dogs and owners having fun throwing balls and sticks into the water - it made me want a dog...

The chicken wing that they placed in the crab net seemed to attract a few small fish - but nothing worth keeping for tea - We had to call back at the fish shop to get some snapper fillets to cook on the bbq.

Oh the joy and freedom...

School holidays... carefree and fun.
Filled with long lazy days in the sun where time doesn't matter.

This weekend we have had a wonderful time exploring the city with family and extended family from interstate (just typing that word 'interstate' makes me feel Australian!)
I'll download my photos and during the week I'll share some of the sights of Brisbane by night.

Sun, sea, sand...

...and prawns!

That was my day Sunday.

A lovely distraction from the end of last week.

Last Thursday my girl was not well, and unfortunately she got worse before she got better  - it all got a bit dramatic at one point, but thankfully all is good again now.  (thank you for the well wishes) Children can bounce back to health so quickly and it's the parent who is left a bit shaken...

Anyhow, after the usual Saturday routines of market shopping, ballet class and friends around for dinner, we decided to make the most of this lovely place and headed to the beach on Sunday.

 

 I even went walking on the sand...twice!

I am turning in to a real Aussie.

Those that know a little bit about me will know that the beach has not been my favourite place, but I think I have just been going to the beach at the wrong times. A hot sticky day with too many people is not my scene. Yesterday was a beautiful Spring day - okay, it was still 28 degrees... but it was slightly breezy and once the sun went down (which is always so early here) it was heavenly.

Shall I go as far as to say that I enjoyed being on the beach...?

At the end of a great few hours catching up with some lovely friends we packed an esky/cool box and headed out to sit in the park for tea.
Sibs learnt how to peel a prawn and even though she wasn't too impressed with the taste she can now add prawn preparing to her list of Aussiness!

Happy times.

 

Mooloolaba

Off to start the week by going out to get some coffee beans - we've run out.....shivers!!

If you can't beat them...

....join them!

Usually when my lovelies venture to the water for the weekend I find excuses to stay at home...

I have admitted before that I am not the biggest fan of sand.

However...

When they returned from their last trip, they made me promise that I would go with them next time...

This weekend was that  'next time'.

 Considering that it's still Winter it was actually a glorious weekend, but when the sun took a rest behind a cloud it did get a little chilly. So I packed for every eventuality - lots of layers; changes of clothes; novel; magazines; snacks; toiletries to open a chemist....I think the invitation for me to join them was re-considered! They usually throw whatever they can see in the hallway on the way to the car and they are away!

When we got there though the time was spent relaxing, playing, and catching up with family.

considering whether to join in ...oh, go on then!





a little afternoon snack




tawny frogmouths keeping a sleepy eye on us





"I can't go home until I've caught something!"



With such lovely places as this on our doorstep it's time to re-think my sand aversion...